TOPIC 7 Physical development in Adulthood

Physical development in Adulthood

THE PASSAGE TO ADULTHOOD DETERMINED BY MILESTONES AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS:

Israel =  

• Completing military service

USA = individualistic culture

- Age of majority 18 (legal responsibility)

- Taking responsibility

- Making autonomous decisions

- Being financially independent

Argentina = collectivistic culture

- Being able to to financially support a family

South Korea & China = collectivistic culture

-Being able to provide financial support to parents

- Learning to have control over emotions

When does a person become an adult?

 Legal Affairs

 Sexual maturity

 Cognitive maturity

 Sociological maturity (work, family)

 Psychological maturity (identity, autonomy, values)

Adulthood defined by three criteria:

 Accepting one's responsibilities.

 Make independent decisions.

 Gain financial independence

What can be challenging by achieving the goals of defined criterias for adulthood?

In modern industrialised countries, achieving these goals takes longer and follows more varied routes than in the past.

Need for recognised recognition of a new phase in the life cycle:

EMERGING ADULTHOOD

EMERGING ADULTHOOD

• Transition between adolescence and adulthood.

• Exploratory stage of different ways of life.

• 18/19-25/29 years.

Emerging/early adulthood health status

• Establishing the foundation for physical functioning.

• Physical Ability begins to decline, with the deterioration barely noticeable.

• Behavioural factors contribute to a state of health and well-being > epigenetic changes in the expression of some genes that may be permanent.

• Health problems at this stage > a reflection of problems during adolescence.

• Most common causes of activity limitations > arthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders.

• Leading cause of death > accidents/ most common trafical accidents.

Emerging adulthood ages

It is between 18 and 25 years of age.

Although, especially in certain European countries, it could be extended to the age of 30.

Emerging adulthood focuses on

Identity exploration = The stage that offers the greatest opportunities for the exploration of real identity options in the areas of love, work and worldview and for opening up "new directions in life".

Focused on themselves = Few ties that involve daily obligations and commitments to others, themselves are the basis for almost all their decisions, both day-to-day and Core (What should I do for dinner? Should I change careers?).

The age of possibilities = A time of aspirations and high expectations: few doors are now completely closed and dreams and illusions are still alive.

Diversity of situations and instability in search of experiences that provide security.

• Ongoing reviews of the life plan

• changes in life directions in relationships, work, training & housing.

How does people in emerging adulthood feel?

 They feel "in-between" two phases of life = Self-perception of "yes, but not yet" (ambivalence): they perceive themselves to be on the road to adulthood without having reached it.

How does emerging adulthood people view their parents?

From family conflict to seeing "parents as people" = Changes in family relationships: parents begin to be seen as "equals", emotional autonomy is greater and family satisfaction increases, especially among those who have already left the parental home.

Early adulthood

• Early adulthood: 20-40 years.

• Currently with emerging adulthood in it (emerging adulthood as a transitional construct)

• Physically and cognitively maturing stage.

what happens at the stage of early adulthood?

• At this stage, people often enter into more stable relationships, such as marriage or living with a partner.

• It is also a period when careers are consolidated and more significant responsibilities are taken on, such as training a family or buying a house.

• It focuses on achieving long-term goals, such as career development and emotional and financial stability.

Middle adulthood Average

Average adulthood: 40-65 years.

Visual changes in middle adulthood.

• Visual impairment in 5 domains > near vision, dynamic vision, light sensitivity, visual search and processing speed.

• Loss of visual acuity (the muscles of the crystalline lens become weak)

• Need for increased brightness (1/3 more) due to pupil shifts to compensate for the loss of light reaching the retina.

• Presbyopia/myopia > reduced ability to focus on near/far objects due to loss of lens flexibility.

Auditory changes in middle adulthood

Presbycusis > gradual loss of hearing for the higher pitched sounds used in speech.

Sensory changes in middel adulthood (taste, smell, touch and pain)

• Decreased sensitivity to taste and smell.

• Decreased sensitivity to touch and pain.

Changes in muscle strengthen during middle adulthood

• Decline in muscle strength and coordination, which can be prevented through strength training.

• Loss of resistance → less if trained (athletes).

Brain changes in middle adulthood

• Loss of quality of myelin, the fatty coating that covers nerve axons > slower speed of electrical impulses in the brain.

• Deterioration in tasks:

1. Requiring a quick reaction time.

2. Involving a choice of quick responses.

3. Involving complex motor skills that involve many stimuli, responses and decisions.

• Decreased ability to ignore distractions.

Factors which can help decrease changes in the health conditions during adulthood?

• Benefits of aerobic exercise for brain function > increased white and grey matter volume.

•  Aerobic exercise, resistance training with weights, increased calcium and vitamin C intake > slow the loss.

Structural and systemic changes in middle adulthood

• Thinning of the fat layer beneath the skin surface, hardening of collagen molecules, breakdown of elastin fibres > Loss of smoothness and softness of the skin.

• Decreased melanin pigment and reduced rate of hair replacement > greying and thinning of hair.

• Fat accumulation > weight gain.

• Shrinkage of vertebral discs > loss of height.

• More calcium absorption than is replaced > bone loss.

• Smoking, alcoholism and poor eating habits in early adulthood > accelerate loss.

• Weakening of temperature regulation and immune system.

• Reduced depth of sleep.

Decreased vital capacity

maximum amount of air a person can expel from the lungs after a maximum inhalation.